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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29464296">On Broadway</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/regionalatliz/pseuds/regionalatliz'>regionalatliz</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dead Poets Society (1989)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Actor Neil Perry (Dead Poets Society), Love Confessions, M/M, Theatre</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 20:33:56</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,480</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29464296</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/regionalatliz/pseuds/regionalatliz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Todd takes up Neil's offer to go with him to a rehearsal.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Todd Anderson/Neil Perry</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>97</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>On Broadway</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Thanks for clicking! This is pretty short tbh. I could've gone on, but I was lazy lol. Please enjoy. No tw's for this one, tis quite fluffy</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Waking up in the morning is a curious thing. No one can remember falling asleep, and waking up just happens quickly and suddenly. And then there’s the moment between a person regaining consciousness and deciding to open their eyes. On one particular morning, in the moment between regaining consciousness and deciding to open his eyes, Neil Perry awoke to the sound of light shuffling in his dorm room. He remained curled up on his bed, head pressed into the pillow and his blanket hanging off the bed every so slightly, as he peeled open his eyes. Through sleep-blurred vision he caught a glimpse of his roommate, Todd Anderson, standing by his desk and securing his uniform tie around his collar. Neil smiled into his pillow, watching Todd’s concentrated face as it was illuminated by the early morning light filtering through the window. Ignoring the swarm of butterflies in his stomach, Neil sat up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. </p>
<p>“Did I wake up late?” He asked Todd, who—failing to have noticed Neil was awake—flinched upon hearing his roommate’s voice. </p>
<p>“Uh, no.” Todd answered, relaxing as he shook his head. “I’m just up early.” </p>
<p>Neil’s brow furrowed at that. Todd really wasn’t the type to be an early riser. But as Neil took another look at the dark blond boy, he noticed he looked distinctly rejuvenated, for lack of a better term. Not that he was any different—he was still the same Todd as before, and to Neil, that was perfect—but he looked. . .happier. Neil recalled the events of last night, when he found Todd sitting outside in what seemed to be the most upset state Neil had ever seen him. The flying desk set, Neil recalled with a grin, had completely altered Todd’s mood. The pair’s relationship was altered along with it, Neil realized. </p>
<p>	Neil threw back his covers, getting out of bed to get ready for class. The excitement of anticipating what Mr. Keating would do next in English class was enough motivation to get Neil moving for the day. Neil was reaching for his bathrobe that he had draped over the back of his desk chair when Todd asked, “Does the offer to go with you to rehearsal still stand?” </p>
<p>Neil paused, arm midair, as he processed Todd’s words, before grinning widely. “Of course it does.” </p>
<p>“Great. Um, then if you wouldn’t mind, could I come watch this afternoon?” Todd asked, returning a smile. </p>
<p>“Certainly,” Neil replied, beaming. “You’ll love it. Everyone is just wonderful. It’s nothing like Welton when you’re there. Oh- and if you just want to sit in the back and watch, that’s perfectly fine, but I can introduce you to everyone.” </p>
<p>“Sure,” Todd said before glancing at his watch. “You should probably go get ready if you don’t want to miss breakfast.” </p>
<p>“Right,” Neil agreed, throwing on his bathrobe and slippers as he made for the door, “We’ll talk more about this on the way to the caf.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>. . .</p>
<p>Neil and Todd raced on their bicycles all the way to Everett Theater that afternoon, bursting with joy. This had to be the happiest either of them had been in their entire lives. Neil was finally doing what he loved, and spending time with a boy he really, really liked, and Todd was getting comfortable at Welton (when he had expected total disaster), and was feeling more confident about his writing. Everything, as much as it could possibly be, was perfect. Neil won their race to the theater, having the advantage of longer legs and better soccer skills. Todd caught up, breathless with exhaustion and laughter, parking his bike next to Neil’s. Neil practically sprinted into the building, pulling Todd along with him by the wrist. A handful of people were already in the theater, congregating by the stage. </p>
<p>“Isn’t it beautiful?” Neil asked as Todd’s gaze scanned over the quaint, yet elegant theater. “Just imagine it a little bigger, and it’s just like broadway. I can just imagine being on a stage every night for the rest of my life.” He caught Todd’s eyes after a moment. “Have you ever been to a broadway show? I went once with my parents to see Richard III like six years ago. I haven’t stopped thinking of it since.” </p>
<p>The corner of Todd’s lip had quirked up at Neil’s blatant excitement. He shook his head. “No, I’ve only been to New York once, when my brother was going on college tours. Everyone was too preoccupied with Columbia to consider seeing any shows.” </p>
<p>“We’ll go to one someday.” Neil promised. “Of course, I’ll be in one someday, too, so you’ll have to come and see me.” </p>
<p>“Of course.”</p>
<p>“Maybe you’ll write a play that’ll make it to broadway.” Neil pointed out, tugging his folded script out of his pocket. </p>
<p>Todd laughed quietly. “Maybe.”</p>
<p>“We should look exclusively at New York colleges. I’m sure they have great acting conservatories there, and English departments, of course.” Neil said. “Maybe Connecticut, too. That’s fairly close. I should ask Keating. That seems like something he would know.” </p>
<p>“You really like this stuff, huh?” Todd asked, staring at Neil in awe and admiration.</p>
<p>“Like? Todd, I adore this stuff. Everything I’ve been forced to enjoy up until this point is nothing in comparison to this world of. . . of acting and theatre and the arts.”<br/>
“I’m glad you adore it.” Said Todd, bumping Neil’s shoulder with his own.</p>
<p>Neil laughed through his nose, “Thanks.” One of the girls in the group by the stage began waving Neil over. “Oh, that’s Ginny. She’s our Hermia. Do you want to go say hello?” Todd blanched. “You don’t have to. Just have a seat back here and watch the magic happen.” Neil gestured to the nearest row of seats before taking a few steps down the aisle. “Although, it might get a little boring at times. Blocking isn’t all that magical.” </p>
<p>“That’s fine.” Todd said with a chuckle. “I brought some homework with me just in case.”</p>
<p>“Perfect.” Neil said with a thumbs up. He threw a concluding wink at Todd before heading towards the stage. </p>
<p>When Neil reached the group, Ginny greeted him with a radiant smile. “Is that Todd?” She asked in a low, knowing voice. </p>
<p>Neil nodded in response, then warned, “Don’t say anything.”</p>
<p>“I won’t! What kind of a person do you think I am?” </p>
<p>“The kind who blabs.” Neil replied lightheartedly, earning a slap on the shoulder. </p>
<p>. . .</p>
<p>Ginny made a point to tell Neil every time she noticed Todd beaming at him with deep admiration. Neil’s face tinged pink the entire evening. Neil met Todd at his seat when rehearsal ended, both boys grinning from ear to ear. </p>
<p>“You’re a natural.” Todd said as he gathered his belongings from the seat next to him. “Every time you get a note, you just immediately know how to apply it.” </p>
<p>“Thank you.” </p>
<p>“You’re so confident up there.” Todd continued, following a blushing Neil into the hallway. “You really do belong on broadway. Just wait until opening night—the guys are gonna be in shock. Keating too.” </p>
<p>“I’m really looking forward to Keating’s reaction. His approval would really mean something.” Neil agreed animatedly. “Do you think he knew any actors in London? I bet he’s been to the Globe.” </p>
<p>“You should ask him.” </p>
<p>“Maybe…”<br/>
The pair mounted their bicycles, opting not to race this time. </p>
<p>“What’s dinner tonight?” Neil asked as they glided down the road past the fire station. </p>
<p>“Something gross, I’d imagine.” Todd replied with a grimace. Welton food was notorious for being (albeit somewhat inconsistently) awful. </p>
<p>“When I’m on broadway, I’m gonna get a personal chef. I’ll never be forced to eat gross meals again.” Neil concluded with a laugh.</p>
<p>“You’ll have to invite me to dinner all the time, then.” Todd said.</p>
<p>“Or you could just live with me.” </p>
<p>Their cycling suddenly slowed as both took in the words Neil had said. Any other pair of best friends would react casually—being roommates after school was not at all uncommon—but both boys could tell it was not meant that way. </p>
<p>“Listen, Neil—”</p>
<p>Unwilling to look at Todd, Neil glued his eyes to the handlebars of the bike. “I know what you’re going to say.”</p>
<p>“You do?”</p>
<p>Neil nodded, surprised to find himself shaking. “You’re gonna tell me that you—”</p>
<p>“I really like you.” Todd said, without hesitation. Both bikes had stopped. Todd’s face was beet red. </p>
<p>“Oh. Well, that’s much better than what I thought you were going to say.” Neil replied.</p>
<p>“I realized last night.” Todd explained. </p>
<p>“You only just realized last night?” </p>
<p>“I admitted it to myself last night.” Todd corrected. </p>
<p>“That sounds more like it.” Neil laughed. “I realized when Keating made you improvise that poem.” </p>
<p>A smirk grew on Todd’s lips. “You only just realized when I did the poem?” </p>
<p>“Oh, shut up.”</p>
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